McMick

Using the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site: First bid: 3.5 stars, Executive Park, $30...rejected. Was then offered a guaranteed room "for only $8 more," but I didn't take the bait. Second bid: 3.5 stars, added Pineville (highest rated property in that zone is 2.5 stars,) increased the bid to $33...SCORE! Taxes and fees: $12.52. Grand total: $45.52. Love the BetterBidding web site! I've saved lots of $$$ since I started using this forum.

Used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site. Started with 4 star properties and at $90. Began with Waterfront/Convention Center zone. Several rejected bids as I added (central city) zones and increased the bid by a few dollars each time. Once I added 3.5 star properties, it was accepted. There is a convention in town during this week so the hotel room situation will be tight. Amazingly, this room is listed at $294/night on the Sheraton web site! Taxes and fees: $63.40. Grand total: $463.40.

Used the HOTWIRE link on the BetterBidding web site. Amenities: comp. breakfast, fitness, business, laundry, high speed internet, golf. Taxes + fees: $10.98, Grand total: $62.98

Using the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site: First bid was 4 star, Perimeter, $40, denied. Next bid 3.5 star, added Forest Park, decreased to $36, accepted! Taxes & fees: $12.40, grand total $48.40.

We stayed here July 24-26, 2009. The main building is a reinforced concrete tower, very typical of Marriott's built in the 1970s-1980s. There is also a 4 story "low rise" adjacent to the tower, that surrounds the swimming pool. We stayed in the low rise. Check in was unremarkable. A very narrow, institutional-looking hallway led to an average sized hotel room. The decor was dated (maybe 15-20 years old) and rather tired looking with slightly peeling wallpaper in the bathroom and clean but worn furnishings. Not anywhere as nice as some other Marriott properties we've visited recently (Cleveland, San Mateo, etc.) with the new Marriott Decor that began around 2005: pale yellow walls, vine-patterned carpet, bright red accents. Even in the public areas of the hotel the decor seemed mismatched and poorly coordinated. We found the housekeeping staff to be especially pleasant. One advantage of our room is that it had a small balcony that overlooked the pool. The pool was quite nice. The downside was that the pool attracted happy, loud children starting early in the morning until rather late in the evening. We're both deep sleepers, so it didn't really bother us. But if you're a light sleeper you may want to request a room away from the pool.

Using the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site: Accepted on the first bid (then you always wonder if they would have accepted something lower!) But still a fantastic deal since this room is $139 on the Hyatt web site. Hotel is in a great area of Coral Gables, with many nice restaurants within easy walking distance. Total $100.00, taxes/fees $21.64, Grand total: $121.64. Thank you BetterBidding for a wonderful web site!

Using BetterBidding's PRICELINE link: First tried 4*, Perimeter, $35--denied Added Forest Park, maintained 4*, increased to $40--denied Added Morrow, reduced to 3.5*, decreased to $35--denied Added Smyrna, maintained 3.5*, increased to $38--SCORE! Subtotal $76.00, Taxes/fees $18.67= Grand Total $94.67.

I tried PRICELINE the other day--and despite multiple re-bids and even adding 3 star properties--could not get a room for this date in Downtown Cleveland for $40. Today, I get this on the first bid. And a really beautiful historic property too! I did notice today on HOTWIRE that the 3.5 star hotel in Downtown Cleveland that was $82 the other day was $52 today...presumed Hyatt Regency Arcade (Hotwire amenities: fitness, dining, business center, internet, golf.) So I figured the Priceline rate had decreased as well...guess I was correct. Taxes and fees: $13.42. Grand total: $53.42. Naturally, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site!

Looks like a new property to add to the Charleston, WV Hotwire list! Amenities: Complimentary Breakfast, Laundry, Fitness Center, High Speed Internet, Business Center, Golf Nearby. Taxes and fees: $10.98. Grand total: $62.98. A bit more money than I wanted to spend but I couldn't get a better deal on Priceline and there were no bargains to be had given the summer-in-the-mountains travel season. On the Holiday Inn web site, this room is $80. For another comparison, the Red Roof Inn is $46/night, and at least here I get breakfast.

Got this on the first bid: 3.5*, Executive Park, $35! On the Marriott web site this room is $139/night. I have a 6:30am flight out of CLT the next morning so I wanted to stay close...looks like a 10-15 min. drive to the airport from here. Taxes and fees: $12.57. Grand total: $47.57 Naturally, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site!

We stayed here for 8 nights at the end of May, 2009. Got a great deal on Hotwire for $96/night. A rather chic 4.5 star property with a sophisticated clientle. A smaller hotel with a "boutique hotel" atmosphere. We had the smallest of the rooms available, with a very comfortable king sized bed and an elegant marble bathroom with shower (no tub.) Although the room was on the smallish side, the elegant appointments, floor to ceiling windows, and very nice bathroom more than compensated. Since we were staying for over a week, closet space for all our clothes was tight, but the built-in furniture used the space efficiently. There was complimentary coffee in the morning and free internet access via three PCs (and a printer!) in a nook off the lobby. Nice amenity. Our interactions with the staff were all positive. The front desk staff was very friendly and helpful...and completely biligual since our French is limited. The location of the hotel is very convienient to the Metro, shopping, restaurants, and museums. Montreal is a very safe city and we felt comfortable walking around and using the Metro late at night.

When I visit San Francisco, I usually stay around Union Square and use public transportation. But with this visit, I'm driving all over the Bay Area "scouting" for venues and sites for an upcoming art & architecture tour. So I didn't want the hassle and expense of parking in the city. Of course, 4-star room rates are usually more reasonable outside the city too. My first bid was for $45, 4*, SFO Airport: rejected Added South San Francisco (no 4* properties there,) 4*, increased to $50: rejected Added San Mateo, 4*, kept it at $50: rejected Added Marina-Lombard St (no 4* properties there,) 4*, increased to $55: accepted! On the Marriott web site, this room is going for $219/night. Subtotal $220.00. Taxes/fees: $42.76. Grand total: $262.76. Of course, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site!

Atlanta Crowne Plaza Perimeter Northwest (6345 Powers Ferry Road) We stayed here in May, 2009 and got a good deal on Priceline for $38. We were very satisfied with our stay. The property is close to I-285 and I-75, although at night it was bit tricky to navigate some one-way roads from the freeway ramp to Powers Ferry Road. The exterior of the building looks like it's from the 1970s, although the room had obviously been redecorated in the last few years. Three cheers to the decorator who decided to cover one wall of the room in a beautiful chocolate brown wallcovering--rather dramatic and a nice change of pace from the beige and ivory color scheme of the typical Crowne Plaza room. The room was above average in size, and an irregular shape, so there was a nook near the window with a comfortable chair and reading light. But the unusually shaped room also had a large area of empty space that seemed to need another piece of furniture. Our room overlooked the parking lot, and I guess the rooms on the other side of the hotel overlook the freeway. The room was clean and bed was very comfortable. The bathroom retained it's original 1970s "gold sparkle" tile but other aspects of the bath had been updated. The front desk clerk who checked us in was friendly--and trying hard--but unpolished and not in keeping with a 3.5 star hotel. There are several fast food restaurants across from the hotel property and a Publix grocery store within easy walking distance.

My first bid was for $35, 3.5*, Executive Park...rejected. I then added CLT Airport, kept it at 3.5*, and increased it to $38--also rejected. I then included 3* and 3.5*, kept Executive Park and CLT Airport, lowered it to $35--rejected. I continued 3* and 3.5*, included Executive Park, CLT, and South Park, and increased it to $38...accepted. Taxes and fees are $13.07, for a grand total of $51.07. Of course, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site.

Thank you everyone for their input...and I can see how I could have got stuck with a room in an undesired location. I've read the "Priceline Re-Bidding Explained" link in the past and did not understand it. Reviewing it again today I now understand how it works. I was thinking in terms like "gleff" (post #8 on the "Priceline re-bidding explained" thread) that by maintaining a low bid and adding a zone in a more expensive area, it would be like rebidding in the original zone--since my bid was way below the norm in the pricey area. But the "Priceline re-bidding" strategy outlined is a much better way! I'll have to try it next time. In this particular case, the Buckhead area would have been perfectly acceptable had the hotel win landed there.

My first bid was 3.5 * in Perimeter for $35. (I was hoping for the Westin.) Rejected, but Priceline said if I just increase my bid by $9...I didn't take the bait. (Does it ever make sense to take them up on the you-don't-need-to-check-another-box just increase-the-bid-by-this-specified-amount offer?) Second bid: I added Buckhead since I didn't think there was any 3.5* properties in that price range in Buckhead, and increased my bid to $38...accepted! I'm thinking I would have gotten the exact same property had I taken them up on the "just increase by $9" offer. With taxes and service fees of $12.68, the grand total was $50.68. Of course, I used the PRICELINE link on the (awesome) Better Bidding web site!

We stayed here early April, 2009 during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. We got a great deal on Priceline for $45/night. The hotel is centrally located in Downtown Cleveland and close to major attractions. The immediate area is pretty quiet at night, but a short walk westbound on St Clair Ave is the hopping Warehouse District, and a few blocks south there is much nightlife around East 4th St. The common areas of the hotel have a "Rock and Roll" theme. The room itself was a bit larger than the average mid-priced hotel, with mostly "cherry" furniture and a large oval shaped desk. The wallcoverings, carpeting, and linens were various shades of beige and ivory. I thought it was a bit dull but my wife found it to be "elegant" and "restful." The conservative decor probably appeals to the business clientle that inhabits this property during the week. The bed had nice soft sheets and was very comfortable. We were on a high floor and had a great view of Downtown Cleveland. [Cleveland has a lot of well preserved historic buildings for you architecture buffs.] The staff was friendly and helpful. There is parking available (around $18/day) but since it was the weekend there was ample free street parking a few blocks east of the hotel.

My first bid was for a 4* hotel in West Ft Lauderdale/Plantation at $45. This was denied. My second bid was accepted: I added the North Ft Lauderdale area, included 3.5* properties, and increased the bid to $46. [i knew from reading BetterBidding that historically the North Ft Lauderdale area has no 4* hotels.] Checking the Marriott web site, this room is currently going for $99...looks like a cheerful, recently redecorated hotel near some kind of nature preserve... WAY COOL! Taxes and fees are $24.85, the grand total for 3 nights is $162.85. Naturally, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding web site!

I--like fellow forumer FredBiggo below--thought that maybe this was the Le Crystal, since the most recent update had the Sofitel downgraded to 4 stars on HOTWIRE. So Hotwire now has returned the Sofitel to its previous 4.5 star status. Amenities listed were: fitness, dining, business, internet, and spa. The location is excellent for what we plan to do in Montreal--so we're pleased with the choice. I would have liked to bid on Priceline, but the lady I'm traveling with doesn't like to "gamble" for hotel rooms. So I'll save the PRICELINE gambling for when I'm traveling alone. Of course, we employed the HOTWIRE link on the BetterBidding web site!

My first bid for a 3.5 star hotel at $45 was denied. I re-bid at the same price, but added 3 star properties, and it was accepted. I believe the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is being held at Public Auditorium in Downtown Cleveland that night, so I imagine the room situation at the fancier hotels is tight. Of course, I used the PRICELINE link on the BetterBidding site! Taxes and service fees were $14.29, so the grand total was $59.29

I stayed at this 2 star property 3-5-09 to 3-8-09. A great deal on Priceline for $25/night. Admittedly, the term "suite" is a misnomer, since that implies an accommodation with several rooms. Reality: a room with a kitchenette at one end. Basic "Motel 6" decor. The mattress was OK--not The Westin, but not horrible either. Cleanliness was above average, and I saved a lot of money by warming up prepared food from a local grocery store and storing the leftovers in the refrigerator. The front office staff was pleasant. Once reason the rate is so reasonable is that daily maid service is not offered; for those with long term stays weekly maid service is provided. Both the interior and exterior of the property was in good repair and appeared recently painted. The complex consists of several buildings, quite attractively landscaped, so it appears more "residential" than "motel." The parking lot was well lit at night. The location was convenient to the interchange of I-285 and I-75. If you're on a budget and need clean, basic accommodations, consider this property.

The (former) Holiday Inn Select Lakeside is now Doubletree Cleveland Downtown Lakeside. I stayed in one of the newly renovated rooms a few months ago--quite nice. Very urbane decor: I remember a lot of dark gray and burgundy. Looked more like a "W" Hotel room than a Doubletree...but you still get a warm chocolate chip cookie upon arrival. They are building some fancy condos and townhouses nearby--"The Avenue District"--so the neighborhood lodgings needed to go more upscale as well.

A tiny correction so other readers won't get confused: The proper names are: "Terminal Tower" and "Tower City Center." So when the writer says "City Tower" what is intended is "Tower City Center" (locals usually just say: "Tower City.") The Terminal Tower is the 708 foot, Neoclassical landmark building in Downtown Cleveland, completed in 1930. Beneath the Terminal Tower is the (former) Cleveland Union Terminal, which historically was the main railroad station. In the early 1990s, the Cleveland Union Terminal was converted to a shopping mall, called "Tower City Center." Fortunately, the conversion was very sensitive to the elegance of the original architecture.... As part of the original 1930 infrastructure, the light rail system in Cleveland, called Rapid Transit (locals call it "the Rapid") has a station here. This is the main stop in Downtown Cleveland, and the Rapid Red Line Westbound connects directly to Cleveland Hopkins Airport. Good trivia: the Terminal Tower was the tallest building in the world outside of Manhattan from 1930-1964.

My first post...I hope I do this right! What a great forum. Many thanks to the others for their helpful advice and the administrator for organizing this. I hope my future contributions are helpful. I wish I would have discovered BetterBidding sooner! My first Priceline bid of $22 was denied. I saw the lowest priced rooms on Hotwire were in the Marietta area, so that is why I selected that area on Priceline--and the only area I selected. My second bid of $25 was accepted. Interestingly, this hotel is actually in Smyrna, GA. The "Marietta" area on Priceline extends into Smyrna, and is in the vicinity of I-75, I-285, and Cobb Parkway SE (exit 19 or 20 on I-285.) The "Smyrna" area on Priceline is much smaller, and is in the vicinity of I-285 and S. Cobb Dr. (exit 15 on I-285.) The first time I visited Atlanta I got Cobb Parkway and Cobb Drive confused--and wasted a lot of time on the wrong road searching for an address that didn't exist. Although usually nothing fancy, I like the Homestead Suites properties because they have a kitchenette...save $$$ by eating some meals in the hotel room. Whole Foods and Trader Joe's have stores nearby and offer good--and healthy--prepared food to re-heat in the microwave and store the leftovers in the refrigerator. On the Homestead Suites web site, this room is going for $49.99 on Thur 3 Mar and $44.99 for Fri and Sat. So I'm happy with my bargain. The subtotal was $75.00, taxes and fees $18.53, total charges: $93.53.